Minimum wage in New Hampshire in 2026
$7.25 per hour1
per hourGeneral rate since July 24, 2009
No scheduled increase on record.
Year 2026
Rates in force during 2026
| Applies to | Rate | Effective | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
StandardSourceUnless otherwise provided by statute, no person, firm or corporation shall employ any employee at an hourly rate lower than that set forth in the federal minimum wage law, which is $7.25.
Verified September 26, 2026 | $7.25July 24, 2009 – current | July 24, 2009 | current |
BLS · May 2025
How the minimum compares with typical pay in New Hampshire
27%of the median hourly wage
The median hourly wage across all occupations in New Hampshire is $26.87 and the mean is $34.31 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates). The minimum wage of $7.25 is 27% of the median; the 10th-percentile wage is $15.88, so roughly the lowest-paid tenth of workers earn within $8.63 of the minimum. BLS
| Applies to | Rate |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 |
| 10th percentile | $15.88 |
| 25th percentile | $19.16 |
| Median | $26.87 |
| Mean | $34.31 |
5 rules · September 27, 2026
Labor law basics in New Hampshire
What the law adds on top of the hourly rate. Follow the citation for exceptions.
Overtime
Employees of employers not covered by the federal FLSA, other than seasonal employees of employers operating less than six months, must be paid 1.5 times for all time worked over 40 hours in a week. (employees of employers not covered by the FLSA (FLSA-covered employers follow federal overtime))
Source
Except for employees of employers who are covered by the Fair Labors Standards Act, and seasonal employees of employers operating less than six months, employees shall be paid at the rate of time and one half for all time worked in excess of 40 hours in any week.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- RSA 279:21. Quote from the NH DOL page.
Verified September 27, 2026
Tips
A tipped employee of a restaurant, hotel, motel, inn or cabin who regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips must be paid a base rate of at least 45% of the applicable minimum wage. (tipped employees of restaurants, hotels, motels, inns and cabins)
Source
A tipped employee of a restaurant, hotel, motel, inn or cabin who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips directly from the customer will receive a base rate from the employer of not less than 45 percent of the applicable minimum wage.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- RSA 279:21. Quote from the NH DOL page.
Verified September 27, 2026
Overtime-exempt salary threshold
Executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt from minimum wage and overtime only if they meet the duties tests and are paid a salary of at least $684 per week ($35,568 a year). (executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees)
Source: 29 C.F.R. Part 541
To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $684 per week.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- The 2024 rule raising the level to $844/$1,128 was vacated in November 2024; DOL enforces the 2019 level of $684.
Verified September 26, 2026
Young workers' hours
14- and 15-year-olds may work at most 3 hours on a school day, 8 hours on a non-school day, 18 hours in a school week and 40 hours in a non-school week, outside school hours. (14- and 15-year-olds in non-agricultural jobs)
Source: 29 C.F.R. Part 570
no more than 3 hours on a school day , including Fridays; no more than 8 hours on a nonschool day; no more than 18 hours during a week when school is in session; no more than 40 hours during a week when school is not in session;
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
Verified September 26, 2026
Required poster
Employers whose employees are covered by the FLSA minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments. (employers covered by the FLSA)
Source: 29 U.S.C. § 207
Every employer of employees subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- The notice DOL publishes for this purpose is the FLSA minimum wage poster (WH-1088), free from the WHD posters page.
Verified September 26, 2026
$7.25 / hour
Calculators
Estimates before tax at this rate. Nothing you type leaves this page.
What this wage pays
| Weekly | $290.00 |
|---|---|
| Monthly52 weeks ÷ 12 | $1,256.67 |
| Annual52 weeks | $15,080.00 |
| Overtime rate1.5× where overtime applies | $10.88 |
4 questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in New Hampshire in 2026?
$7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009. For a 40-hour week that is about $290.00 a week or $15,080.00 a year before tax.
Is the minimum wage in New Hampshire increasing?
No increase is scheduled on record as of October 1, 2026. Inflation-indexed jurisdictions announce the next figure a few months before it takes effect.
Is there a lower tipped minimum wage in New Hampshire?
No separate tipped rate is on record for New Hampshire; tipped employees are owed the full $7.25 per hour before tips, unless a higher-level rule sets one.
How does New Hampshire compare with other states?
New Hampshire's $7.25 ranks 32 of 51 state general rates, against a federal floor of $7.25.
2 levels of law
How this rate is resolved
The highest minimum that covers the work location applies.
Employers must pay the highest minimum that covers the work location. WageTable checks each level in turn:
- United States
- New Hampshire
New Hampshire sets 1 rule of its own.
Notes on this jurisdiction's rules and sources
The standard $7.25 row comes from us-nh-dol-minimum-wage (2026-09-26); the 45% tipped base rate is a percentage and has no row. New Hampshire's minimum wage statute (RSA 279:21) adopts the federal minimum wage, so the federal rate applies; tipped employees of restaurants, hotels, motels, inns and cabins get a base rate of 45 percent of the applicable minimum wage with a statutory floor (RSA 279:21, VIII).
New Hampshire
Enforcement
Enforced by New Hampshire Department of Labor, Inspection Division (Wage and Hour). Employers must display the official minimum wage poster.
Underpaid?File a wage claim